Program Structure: A Four-Week Journey
Week 1: The Teacher and The Learner: Foundations of Identity and
Cognition
Week 2: The Art of Design: Curriculum and Lesson Planning
Week 3: The Classroom in Action: Pedagogy and Management
Week 4: The Reflective Practitioner: Assessment and Growth
Week 1: The Teacher and The Learner
Core Objective: To explore personal motivations for teaching and
understand fundamental theories of how people learn.
Lesson Plan: Session 1.2 - "Understanding How Learning Works"
Session Objectives: By the end of this session, trainees will be
able to:
1. Compare and contrast two major learning theories
(Constructivism and Social Learning Theory).
2. Identify examples of these theories in a real-world learning
scenario.
3. Reflect on how these theories influence their emerging
teaching philosophy.
Materials: Whiteboard, markers, handout with brief summaries of
learning theories, video clip of a classroom interaction.
Activities (90 minutes):
1. Hook (10 mins): "Think-Pair-Share" on the prompt: "Describe
a time you learned something really complex. What helped
you learn it?"
2. Direct Instruction (20 mins): Facilitator presents a clear,
simplified overview of Constructivism (Piaget, Vygotsky) and
Social Learning Theory (Bandura), using relatable examples.
3. Jigsaw Activity (30 mins):
Trainees are divided into "expert groups," each delving
deeper into one theory.
Experts then reform into "home groups" with one
representative for each theory and teach their peers.
4. Application (20 mins): Watch a short video of a classroom
activity. In small groups, trainees identify which learning
theories they see in action and justify their choices.
5. Wrap-up & Exit Ticket (10 mins): "On a notecard, write
one 'Aha!' moment you had about learning today and one
question you still have."
Micro-Teaching Activity: "The 5-Minute Explanation"
Task: Each trainee prepares a 5-minute mini-lesson explaining a
simple concept of their choice (e.g., how to tie a knot, a basic
vocabulary word, a historical fact).
Focus: The primary focus is not on the content, but on how the
trainee consciously applies a learning theory.
Process:
1. Preparation (5 mins): Trainees plan their mini-lesson,
noting which learning theory they are trying to embody (e.g.,
"I will use Social Learning by modeling the task clearly").
2. Teaching (5 mins per trainee): Trainees deliver their
lesson to a small group.
3. Peer Feedback (5 mins per trainee): Peers provide
feedback using the "I like... I wonder..." model, specifically
focusing on the connection to learning theories. Example: "I
liked how you modeled the task first, that was great Social
Learning Theory in action. I wonder if you could have asked a
probing question to connect to the trainees' prior knowledge,
which is a constructivist strategy?"
Week 2: The Art of Design: Curriculum and Lesson
Planning
Core Objective: To master the fundamentals of backward design and
create cohesive, objective-driven lesson plans.
Lesson Plan: Session 2.1 - "Backward Design: Starting with the
End in Mind"
Session Objectives: By the end of this session, trainees will be
able to:
1. Explain the three stages of Backward Design (UbD): Desired
Results, Evidence, and Learning Plan.
2. Differentiate between a learning objective and a learning
activity.
3. Draft a clear, measurable learning objective using Bloom's
Taxonomy.
Materials: Chart paper, UbD template handout, examples of strong
and weak learning objectives.
Activities (90 minutes):
1. Hook (10 mins): "The Destination Puzzle" - Trainees are
given a list of activities (e.g., "watch a movie," "write an
essay," "take a quiz") and a clear goal (e.g., "Understand the
causes of the Civil War"). They must sequence the activities
logically to achieve the goal, highlighting the need for
planning with the end in mind.
2. Direct Instruction (25 mins): Facilitator introduces the UbD
framework with a clear, step-by-step example.
3. Guided Practice (30 mins): In pairs, trainees are given a
topic and a vague goal. They must work together to write one
strong "Desired Result" (objective) and one piece of
"Evidence" (assessment) for it.
4. Independent Practice (20 mins): Each trainee selects a
micro-topic for their upcoming lesson plan and drafts 2-3
learning objectives for it.
5. Wrap-up (5 mins): Share one drafted objective as a group
and get facilitator feedback.
Micro-Teaching Activity: "The Lesson Plan Skeleton & 10-Minute
Demo"
Task: Trainees develop a complete lesson plan for a 15-minute
lesson using the UbD template. They will then teach a 10-minute
segment of it.
Focus: The clarity of learning objectives and the alignment
between the activity and the assessment.
Process:
1. Planning: Trainees submit a completed lesson plan skeleton
for review by a facilitator or peer.
2. Teaching (10 mins): Trainees teach the core segment of
their lesson to a small group.
3. Feedback (10 mins): The feedback session is guided by the
lesson plan. Peers and the facilitator ask: "Was the learning
objective clear to you as a 'student'?" and "Did the activity
you experienced directly help you achieve that objective?"
This directly links planning to practice.
Week 3: The Classroom in Action: Pedagogy and
Management
Core Objective: To experiment with a variety of instructional strategies
and develop a proactive approach to classroom management.
Lesson Plan: Session 3.3 - "Active Learning Strategies"
Session Objectives: By the end of this session, trainees will be
able to:
1. Define "active learning" and contrast it with passive listening.
2. Demonstrate at least three different active learning strategies
(Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Gallery Walk).
3. Adapt a passive lecture segment into an active learning
experience.
Materials: Sample lecture text, timers, stations for Gallery Walk.
Activities (90 minutes):
1. Hook (15 mins): The facilitator delivers a 7-minute mini-
lecture on a topic in a purely passive style, then delivers the
same content using Think-Pair-Share and a quick poll. Debrief
the difference in engagement and retention.
2. Strategy Carousel (45 mins): Trainees rotate through three
stations, each dedicated to practicing a different strategy
(Jigsaw, Gallery Walk, Role-Play). They experience each one as
both "student" and "facilitator."
3. Adaptation Challenge (25 mins): In groups, trainees are
given a paragraph from a textbook and tasked with designing
an active learning activity to teach its content.
4. Wrap-up (5 mins): Trainees commit to trying one new
strategy in their final micro-teach.
Micro-Teaching Activity: "The Strategy Spotlight"
Task: Trainees design and deliver a 15-minute lesson where
the primary focus is the successful implementation of one
specific active learning strategy.
Focus: The facilitator's skill in briefing, managing, and
debriefing the chosen strategy effectively.
Process:
1. Preparation: Trainees declare which strategy they will
spotlight (e.g., "My lesson will feature a structured Gallery
Walk").
2. Teaching (15 mins): The lesson is delivered.
3. Feedback (10 mins): Feedback is highly focused: "Were the
instructions for the Gallery Walk clear?" "How did the
management of time and movement affect the learning?"
"What was the impact of this strategy on your engagement?"
Week 4: The Reflective Practitioner: Assessment and
Growth
Core Objective: To utilize assessment for learning (formative) and of
learning (summative), and to cultivate a personal habit of reflective
practice.
Lesson Plan: Session 4.1 - "Assessment for Learning"
Session Objectives: By the end of this session, trainees will be
able to:
1. Differentiate between formative and summative assessment.
2. Identify three low-stakes formative assessment techniques
(e.g., Exit Tickets, One-Minute Paper, Fist to Five).
3. Design a formative assessment to gauge understanding
during a lesson.
Materials: Examples of Exit Tickets, sticky notes, traffic light cards
(red, yellow, green).
Activities (90 minutes):
1. Hook (10 mins): "The Quiz Debrief" - Trainees take a short,
low-stakes quiz and immediately discuss the answers. Was
this assessment for them (to learn) or of them (to judge)?
Introduces the key distinction.
2. Direct Instruction & Demo (20 mins): Overview of
formative vs. summative. The facilitator then uses several
techniques (e.g., "Fist to Five" on your understanding, a quick
One-Minute Paper) during the instruction to model them.
3. Technique Studio (40 mins): In small groups, trainees are
assigned a different formative assessment technique. They
create a quick demo and a "how-to" guide for the rest of the
cohort.
4. Integration (15 mins): Trainees look back at their Week 2
lesson plan and identify one point where they could insert a
formative assessment and which technique they would use.
5. Wrap-up (5 mins): Emphasize that assessment is a tool for
the teacher, not just a grade for the student.
Micro-Teaching Activity: "The Final Integrated Micro-Teach"
Task: Trainees design and deliver a 20-minute lesson on a topic of
their choice.
Focus: Synthesis of all skills. The lesson must include:
o A clear, written objective.
o An intentional active learning strategy.
o At least one formative assessment technique.
Process:
1. Full Lesson Plan: Trainees submit a comprehensive plan
highlighting the above elements.
2. Teaching (20 mins): The lesson is delivered to the full
cohort or a small group.
3. Guided Self-Reflection (15 mins): Instead of starting with
peer feedback, the trainee first completes a self-reflection
form: "What went well? What would you change? How did the
formative assessment inform your teaching in the moment?"
4. Peer & Facilitator Feedback (15 mins): Feedback is
holistic, connecting back to the entire month's journey and the
trainee's own reflective insights.